Mattress



United States Patenti-O MATTRESS Walter T. Carruth, Greensburg, La., assignor of fty percent to W. L..Billups, Hammond, La.

Application May 9; 1955,.SerialN0. 506,718

lClaim., ,(Cl. -91) This invention generally relates to,v improved and novel mattress construction, andV moreqspeeifically provides a mattress on` which aperson, may: recline inyfacedown position.

An object of the presentinventiongis to provide. amattress which will permit, heretofore unknown.y comfort; to those desiring or required. to rest or. recuperate while reclining on their stomachs in a face down position.

Anotherobject of the -present invention is to. provide a mattress especially adaptable for vuse in! hospitals, therapy rooms and in conjunction with patients or other persons requiring or desiring a mattress ou which comfort is provided to the person in either a face up or face down position by the selective utilization of certain attachments provided with the mattress.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a mattress which is simple in construction, well adapted for its intended purposes, easily converted to its various uses, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of the mattress of the present invention illustrating all the elements thereof;

Figure 2 is a detailed perspective View of the mattress of the present invention with the two head rests positioned alongside the edges of the recess in the mattress together with the adjustable transverse strap in position for engaging a persons forehead;

Figure 3 is a fragmental perspective view illustrating the mattress with the removable plug in position, thereby forming a continuous mattress;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 3 illustrating further structural details of the mattress and the removable plug therefor; and

Figure 5 is a fragmental perspective view illustrating the use of a single head rest for engaging the forehead of a person utilizing the mattress in face down position.

Referring now specically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral generally designates the mattress of the present invention including a generally enlarged rectangular body member 12 constructed of the usual ticking material and provided with the usual tufting buttons 14 and edging seams 16. It will be understood that this particular type of mattress is illustrated for explaining the principles of the invention and any suitable mattress construction may be employed.

One end of the mattress 16 is provided with a centrally disposed inwardly extending recess or notch 18 which is generally rectangular in configuration. The recess 18 extends completely from the top to the bottom of the mattress body 12 and will receive the front portion of a persons face when a person is reclining on the mattress body 12 in a face down position.

2,810,920 Patented Oct. 29, 1957 ice ,A- strapmember 20 is secured to the end of the mattress to a relatively short strap 26 that is attached to the end of the mattress body 12 by stitching 28 on the opposite side of lthe recess 18 from .the stitching 22. By use of the buckle 24, the effective length of the strap members 20 and 26 may be adjusted whereby the side edges of the generally rectangular recess will be retained in` generally parallel relation and the two ends divided by the recess 18 -willnot tendA to spread: outwardly when a person is reclining on the mattress body 12.

Disposed under .the mattress body 12 and. extending in bridging relation to the recess 18` and extending'beyond thei'nner end of? the recess 18,is.a flat board-like support member 30 havingna generally enlarged central` round opening 32 ywhich is: adaptedl to4 be closedV by a, circular at closure member 34 wherein the closure member 34 and the opening 32-.are providedl with` matching andV complementary downwardly andA inwardly inclined edges -whereby the closure 34 maybe: removably positioned in the opening '322 and willi'torm a flush upper .surfacer with theA remainder ofrthe support member 30, therebyxforming. asmooth .surfacetacross the. bottom of the 4recess 18 and providing a removable closure 34 whereby waste body fluids may be discharged through the opening 32 by a person reclining on the mattress body 12 in face down relation.

A removable plug 36 is provided which is generally rectangular in shape and equal in size and shape to the recess 13 for positioning therein wherein the plug 36 forms a closure for the recess 18 and also forms a continuation of the mattress body 12 whereby the mattress 12 may be utilized in the usual manner and will be substantially the same as a one-piece mattress body when it is in position in the recess 18.

A pair of head rest members 38 and 40 are provided which are generally equal in length and equal in length to the distance of the side edges of the recess 18 for positioning alongside such side edges. This construction is shown in Figure 2, and a transverse flexible band 42 is extended transversely across the upper outer ends of the head rest members 38 and 40 and the exible band 42 is detachably and adjustably secured to the head rest members 38 and 40 by matching snap fasteners 44, of which there are three, that are positioned in longitudinal alignment for selective engagement with the head rest members 38 and 40 wherein the iiexible band 42 will form a forehead support which may be adjustable as to its height and tautness so that the position of a persons head may be adjusted. When a persons head is positioned on the strap or band 42, the cheeks of the persons face will generally be engaged with the inner facing edges of the head rest 38 and 40, thereby accurately positioning the persons head iu superimposed aligned relation to the opening 32 to permit accurate discharge of waste liquids from the persons body such as may be necessary in certain instances.

As illustrated in Figure 5, only a single one of the head rests 3S or 40, and in this case, the head rest 38, is illustrated as extending across the open end of the recess 18, thereby forming a forehead support for a person reclining on the mattress body 12 in face down relation, whereby the person may be comfortable and yet have his head accurately positioned in relation to the opening 32 for discharge of waste uids therethrough.

It will be understood that the mattress body 12 and the board 30 will be supported on any suitable supporting springs, wherein a portion of the springs will be omitted directly under the board 30, thereby permitting a receptacle to be positioned under the opening 32 for receiving waste uids or liquids from a person using the mattress body 12. Y Theboard 30 forms an adequate support for the mattress body 12 adjacent theV recess 18 and the strap arrangements 20 and 26 retain the recess 18 'inthe desiredshape. The rr'nattressroftlleA [present Vinvention is especially usefulin'.treatingfpatientsfgthat so that the liquid being discharged will not contact the Y patient or any surrounding areazf i Y Y The foregoing is considered as illustrative'onlyof the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modiiications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit` the invention The mattressV 10. also; permits f: expectoration, 1

tothe exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.n t

`What is claimed as newv is as follows:

A mattress comprising an enlarged body area having an inwardly extending recess in one edge thereof to receive the front portion of a persons head when recliningV in face down position, a Vgenerally iiat support member positioned under said body in bridging relation having a round opening therein, a pair of opposite elongated head rest members positioned in spaced relation in said recess and onV said support member against opposite edges of said recess and at opposite sides of said opening, and a transverse-flexible strap forming a forehead support overlying said head rest members with a slack therebetween and, having ends secured to remote `sides of said head -rest members between said sides andtsaid oppositeredges of `the recess.

References in the tile of 'this patent UNITED STATESVPATENTS t Sinclair f.A. Y-.' Jan. 7, 1879 682,871 Hogan Sept. 17, 1901 1,098,327 Koch May 26, 1914 1,242,598 Riddle Oct. 9, 1917 1,276,655 Housholder Q Aug.'20, .1918 1,437,568 TaplinY Dec. 5, 1922 1,635,588 'Iaplin July 12, 1927 2,239,003 Jones Apr. 1 22, 1941 2,244,435 Simons June 3, 1941 2,634,435 Budd 7-..'1 Apr. 14, 1953 Y FOREIGN PATENTS i 104,917 Australia Sept. 8, 1938 191,087 Switzerland Aug. 16, 

